Judith Lois Quintman

Judith Lois Quintman, mother, grandmother, publisher, quilter, and master of “fishy-face” passed away late in the evening on Wednesday September 9, 2026, just shy of her 90th birthday.

Judy was born to Philip and Minnie Goldfarb in Newark, NJ on November 16, 1936. She graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark and pursued a degree in journalism at Syracuse University, but eventually received a B.S. in Education from Kean College (then known as New Jersey State Teachers College). For several years, she taught first-grade students at Conerly Road School in Somerset. In 1969, together with two friends, she went on to establish and publish the Somerset Spectator, a local weekly that became known as “the newspaper for southern Somerset County.” The paper remains in publication (as The Spectator), serving additional regions of New Jersey. She later served as Director of Marketing at several advertising and marketing agencies, as well as Recreation Director for an elder care facility. She was married to Lawrence Quintman from 1957 to 1975.

Judy’s creativity showed up everywhere, especially in the fabric arts. She had a particular passion for quilting, a craft that showcased her eye for color and design. Her rooms were filled with ever-increasing piles of sewing projects, and she delighted in sharing her creations with family and friends. She was also a voracious reader who rarely passed a bookstore without stopping in. Judy felt a deep affinity with dogs. In her younger years, she raised, and pursued showing, a series of companions including Weimaraners Bruno and Grindel, old English sheepdog Muffin, and schnauzer Cinderella. She was especially fond of Hazel the whippet therapy dog toward the end of her life.

She had a natural and enduring curiosity about the world. For her sixtieth birthday, Judy made a solo journey to Kathmandu, Nepal to visit her son who lived there at the time. It was her first trip outside the United States, a powerful experience she often described as changing the way she viewed herself and the world. She loved it so much, she returned six months later.

She is survived by her three children and eight grandchildren: daughter Debbie Walsh, her husband David, and their children Devin, Maggie, and Eric; her daughter Gail Ferdinando, her husband Ken, and their children Kyle, Keith, and Abby; and her son Andrew, his wife Analis, and their child Maya.

She will be greatly missed by her family and the friends she touched through her artwork, her playful and sharp-witted sense of humor, and her smile.

The family is planning a private celebration of life in the coming weeks.

Cremation services and arrangements are under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.